Combined shoe lasting and sole applying apparatus



July 23, 1935- J. FUNCK ET AL 2,003,788

COMBINED SHOE LASTING AND SOLE APPLYING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 24, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 2X 87 2-| u 1- I {to II 33 7 v 2 INVENTORS F J JZcoB Fi/IVCK BY ALF/FED MDu/v/v p24 %APTTORNE y July 23, 1935, .1. FUNCK ET AL COMBINED SHOE LASTING AND SOLE APPLYING APPARATUS I Filed Aug. 24, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 v 11v VENTOR: J): coB fi/Nck gimp W-DuA/N A TTO y 1935- J. FUNCK ET AL 2,003,788

COMBINED SHOE LASTING AND SOLE APPLYING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 24, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 BY ALF/PE MDu/v/v TORNEY Patented July 23, 1935 UNITED STATES COMBINED SHGE LASTING AND soLE APPLYING APPARATUS Jacob Funckand Alfred W. Dunn, Rochester, o.

. N. Y. said Funck assignor to said Dunn Application August 24, 1931, Serial No. 558,900

13 Claims.

The object of this invention is to provide a combined shoelasting and sole placing machine for shoes made with both the pre-welt and stitchdown processes.

Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for use with the stitch-down process with which the upper is perfectly fitted around the last previous to the application of the sole to the upper.

Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for use with the pre-welt process with which the upper and welt is held. in place over a last to first have a filler and then the outer sole proper attached thereto. Y

Other objects and attendant advantages will become more readily apparent from the detailed description of one embodiment of the invention reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of a press equipped with the combined lasting and sole applying apparatus.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the carriage support and bed of .the press, the figure being viewed from the line 2.r2;r of Figures 1 and3.

' Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of the carriage support and head, for stretching the upper over the'last, the section being taken on the line 3$-3x of Figure 5. V

Figure 4 is a bottom plan View of the head for stretching the upper over the last.

Figure 5 is a cross section of the carriage support and head, the section being taken on the line 5ar-5x of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a cross section of a portion of the carriage support with a last and upper held in place therein and the sole applied thereto.

Figure '7 is a detail perspective view of a sole.

In the several figures of the drawings like reference numerals indicate like parts.

The shoe lasting and sole applying apparatus forming the subject matter of our present invention is adapted for use in both the stitch down and pre-welt processes of applying soles to shoes. A suitable press is used in connection with this apparatus with which the sole is forced in place after it has been applied to the upper. The press illustrated in connection with our apparatus comprises an upright frame I which is supported on a suitable base 2. The upright frame supports a head 3 from which projects the plunger 4 carrying the pressure member 5. A suitable operating mechanism is incorporated in the. frame and is operated bythe rotation of the pulleyB.

The operation of the'press is controlled by the wardly below the opening iilprovided in the car'- riage. On the bracket '9 is mounted the supporting and centering pin" H and the supporting bridge l2. The supporting'pin is threaded-so that it can be'adjusted vertically onthe bracket 9 and locked in the adjusted position by means of the locknuts I3 and i i. The hole thru which the stud passes in the bracket t is elongated'so that the pin can-also be adjusted laterally. The sup-' porting pin is pointed at the top and a collar surrounds the pointed end in order to engage and support it me predetermined position within the opening I!) of the carriage.

The supporting bridge i2 is adapted to support the toe end of the last and for this reason is slightly concaved at the top for the convened surface of the toe end to rest therein. Boththe centering pin and the supporting bridge are adjustable vertically in order to. support the last and theupper in the opening ill at the proper elevation with relation to the clamping jaws I5, it and ll'whioh surround the opening and are mounted on top of the carriage. These clamping jaws are movable on top of the carriage and are located one on each side of the opening it and the third at the forward end thereof. The jaws are moved simultaneously toward and away from the opening in the carriage by means of two parallel racks i8 and I9 whichare mounted to slide in the carriage one on each side of the opening IE3 thereof. Each rack carries a pair of pins 20, and 2i, 2i which engage into the angular cam slots 22, 22 and 23, 23 respectively. These cam slots are provided in the bottom of the jaws I 5 and I6 respectively so that as the racks are moved back and forth, the ja'wsare moved to ward or away from the openinglfl in the carriage. The end jaw ill issimilarly moved toward and away from the end of the opening Iii by means of the pin 24 which engages the angular camslot 25 provided in the bottom of the jaw I1. Pin 24 is carried'by the pinion 25 which is mounted on the pivot studZi. This stud projects thru' the end of the carriage and has the handle 21A keyed thereto with which the pinion is rotated.

The racks l8 and' I9 are adapted to mesh with the pinion 26 at opposite sides thereof so that when the pinion is rotated, one rack is moved into the carriage while the other is moved. out. In rotating the pinion in one direction, the jaws l5 and IS therefore move toward each other While in rotating the pinion in the other direction, the jaws move away from each other. At the same time jaw if is operated by the pin 24 and moves in unison either toward or away from the other two jaws at right angles to them.

The upper inside edge of the jaws l5, l6 and Ill have the overhanging undercut flanges l5A, ISA and HA projecting from them. These flanges form continuations of each other and their contour simulates that of the last and the upper which is to be gripped between them. When therefore a last with its upper is placed into the opening it of the carriage and suitably held supported therein by the supporting pin l l and bridge l2, a movement of the handle 27A will move the jaws toward the upper and in the case of a pre-welt shoe which has been mounted on a last, will engage under the welt and draw the edge of the upper, to which the welt has been fastened, over the edge of the last. This fits the upper tightly over the last by the time the jaws have firmly gripped the upper and last between them. In the case of a pro-welt shoe a filler is then placed on top of the last within the welt after which the outer sole is cemented over the welt and the filler. In this way the jaws hold the upper fitted tightly around the last while the sole is being applied thereto. A shoe thus made will therefore always have the uniform shape of the last over which it has been formed.

To finish the applicationof the sole to the welt, the carriage 8 is then moved back on the bed plate 1 until'the last is centered and located under the pressure or die head 5. The press is then operated and the die head moves down onto the sole and forces it in place on the welt under pressure.

The operation of the apparatus so far described is used in connection with pre-welt shoes, which have a welt sewed to the upper. In the stitchdown process the upper is shaped over a last and the sole is applied to the edge of the upper instead of a welt. I

For use on the stitch-down shoes the apparatus is provided with the stretching head 31!. This head has a horizontal arm 3! with which it is supported on the vertical sliding rod 32. The rod 32 is mounted in a vertical bearing 33 provided on one side of the bed plate I of the press in which it can move up and down for a purpose that will presently appear. The stretching head is provided at the top with a hollow upright 34 which is slotted at the upper end and in the slot is mounted the cam 35. Within the hollow upright is mounted the plunger 36 which passes thru the stretching head and has the pressure plate 31 fastened to the lower end of it. A coil spring 38 surrounds the plunger 36 within the hollow upright 34 and normally forces the upper end of the plunger against the cam surface of the cam 35. Mounted alongside of the upright 34 and its plunger 36 is a second smaller plunger 39.

This latter plunger passes thru the stretching head and thru the pressure plate-31 of the plunger 36 and has the pressure plate 49 attached to the lower end of it. A coil spring 4!, located between the end of the sleeve 42 which surrounds the plunger 39 and the head43 carried at the top of the plunger, normally holds this plunger with its pressure plate 40 against the under side of the pressure plate 31.

The sleeve 42 which surrounds the plunger rod 3| has keyed thereto an elongated pinion 44 which is located within the stretcher head 3!). The sleeve 42 has also keyed thereto the handle 45 with which the sleeve 42 and the pinion 44 are rotated. The pinion 44 is thus mounted in the head 3i) on one side of the plunger rod 36. A similar pinion 46 is mounted to rotate in the head on the other side of the plunger rod 36 and this second pinion is simultaneously rotated on the rotation of the first pinion by means of the rack 41 which moves longitudinally in the head 30 and is in mesh with both of them.

Each of the pinions 44 and 43 has also a pair of transversely moving racks 48, 48 and 48A, 43A meshing therewith. Each pair of racks embraces a pinion between them so that on their rotation the individual racks of each pair move opposite each other; that is either toward or away from each other. Suspended below the bottom of the stretcher-head (iii and surrounding the pressure plates 3"! and 40 are the clamping members 49, 5e and Si. These clamping members have their under side shaped to correspond with the top of the jaws I5, I6 and I! over which they are located when the stretching head is placed over the carriage as illustrated in Figure 3. Two of these clamping members 49 and 50 are suspended from the rack bars 48 and 48A while clamping member 5| is suspended from the rack bar 41. When therefore the handle 45 is rotated, the pinion 44 and the other pinion 48 as well as all of the rack bars 41, 48 and 48A are operated to simultaneously move the clamping members either to ward or away from each other. In this way the clamping members may be operated to spread the edges of the upper as will hereinafter be described and may also be adjusted for different sizes of shoes.

The clamping members 49, 50 and El carry a series of vertical pins 52 which are mounted to slide in suitable holes 53 provided for this purpose in clamping members. These pins are surrounded by a. suitable expansion spring which normally holds their upper ends against the under side of the pressure plate 31. A downward movement of the pressure plate 31 thus forces the pointed ends of the pins 52 out of the bottom of the clamping members for a purpose that will presently be described.

The stretching head is normally swung to one side of the carriage as illustrated in Figure 1. To last and apply a sole to a stitch-clown shoe, the last is placed and supported in the opening it of the carriage as above described and illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 3. The jaws of the carriage are then operated to engage the upper so that the outer edge of the upper overhangs the jaws. After this preliminary placing of the upper has been completed, the stretching head is swung over the carriage and centered over the upper and last and held in place thereon. The treadle 6G is then depressed in order to pull down the sliding rod 32 against the pressure of the spring 5| which surrounds it and is located between the arm 3! and the bearing 33. In this way the head 3% is lowered onto the carriage. that the overhanging free edge of the upper which surrounds the bottom of the last, projects angularly from the last after the upper has been drawn over the last by means of the jaws 15, is

and II, it is necessary to lower the stretching head Because of the facimembers drawn inwardly. The clamping members thus engage partly or wholly within the free edge of the upper so that on their outward adjusting movement the edge of the upper is flattened spread by the clamping members into a horizontal position over the clamping jaws l5, l and ii. The cam 35 mounted on the upright 3 of the head 3Z2 is then rocked by means of the handle so the can". forces the plunger rod 3% downwardly and with it the pressure plate The movement of' the pressure plate in turn forces the pointed ends of-the pins'iiz out of the bottom of the clamping members into the folded out edge of the upper which is thus firmly anchored to the head and carriage. In turning the handle 35A to operate the cam 35 it engages V the head 43 of the plunger rod after it has operated the cam to force the pins into'the upper. A continued movement of the handle then forces the plunger rod downwardly so that the pressure plate lu thereof is depressed and forced down onto the last located Within the upper. The last is thus "forced into the upper while the edges'of the upper are held fixed, stretching the upper I tightly. over the last. After this is done the jaws of the carriage are again operated to firmlygrip the last with the upper tightly stretched-over it. The pressure plates of the stretching head'ar'e thenallowed to move back while the head is raised and again swung to one side of the carriage to expose the last and upper which is now tightly gripped in the carriage. A sole '53 is then cemented over the last and the overhanging edge of the upper, after which the carriage is moved back underthe die head Etc have this head finish the application of the sole by forcing it in place under pressure.

As the gripping jaws and clamping members have the horizontal and vertical outline of the last, the edges of the upper, after being spread over thorn above described, are'held' to conform to the outline of the'bottom of the last and level therewith. e

The bottom of the pressure member is provided with a rubber pad 53 and the face of this pad is shaped to conform to the outline of the bottom of the last. The pressure member, in forcing the sole place on the upper or welt, thus shapes the sole in conformity with the. bottom of the last and the leveled edges of the upper.

Theiact that the upper is firmly drawn over the last and fitted thereto and is held in this position before the soleor part of it is cemented to the upper, permits the use of a blank sole on which but little extra stockneed be left for trimming. A size smaller sole than has heretofore' beenusedis therefore large enough when it is applied by means of our apparatus.

We claim:

1. In a shoe lasting machine the combination of a carriage for supporting a last and upper, clamping means carried by said carriage for clamping the edges of the upper with the last loose within the upper, pressure means above said carriage for forcing the last into the upper to stretch and lit the upper around the last, and gripping means cooperating with said pressure means for gripping the last and upper after the upper has been stretched over the last, second pressure means above said carriage and behind said first pressure means for applying a sole to the edge of the upper under pressure and guide means for guiding said carriage from below said first pressure to "below said second pressure means; a I

2; In a combined shoe lasting and 'so1e'app1ying apparatus the combination of a supporting carriage, means for locating a last with its upper in a predetermined position on said carriage, gripping members carried by said carriage and adapted to engage the upper around the bottomof the last; a stretcher head adapted to be centered over the last and 'upper located on said carriage, combined clamping and stretching meanscarried by said head and adapted to clamp and hold the free edge of the upper on said gripping members and stretch it over said grippingmembers away from' said lastymeans carriedby'said head'for forcing the last into the up per to stretch the upper around the last and ineans'for operating said gripping members to grip the last with the upper stretched around it to pe'rmit'the withdrawal of said stretcher head and allow a sole to be applied to the upper.

3. In a combined shoe lasting and sole applying apparatus the combination of a supporting carriage, means for locating a last with its upper vin a' predetermined position on said carriage, gripping members carried by said carriage and adapted to engage the upper around the bottom of the last, a stretcher head adapted to be centered over the last and upper located on said carriage, clamping means carried by said headfand adapted to clamp and hold the free edge of the upper fixed with relation to the last, means carriedby said head for forcing the last into the upper to stretch the upper aroundthe last and means for operating said gripping members to grip the last with the upper stretched around it to permit the withdrawal of said stretcher head and allow a sole to be applied to the upper, a reciprocating die head and means for guiding said supporting carriage with the last, upper and sole under said die head to allow said die head to force the sole in place on the upper under pressure. v

4. In a combined shoe lasting and sole applying apparatus, the combination of a sliding sup- .1

porting carriage, supporting means carried by said carriage to support a last with its upper and Welt in a predetermined position on said carria'gagripping members having substantially the outline of sections of the last grouped on said carriage with a fixed gauging "point provided by said, gripping members at the heel of the last so as to encirclev the'bottom of the last,"upper and Welt positionedand supported on said carriage in a predetermined position with relation to the heel thereof, meansfor simultaneously moving said gripping members to engagev the'upper under the welt and draw the upper around the last and grip the last with the upper tightly fitted around it and the welt over-hangingsaid gripping members to'permit a filler to be placed over the last within the welt and sole applying means located in fixed relation to said gauging point of said gripping members to permit a sole to be cemented over the filler and the welt in a fixedpredetermined position thereto.

5. In a combined shoe lasting and sole applying apparatus, the combination of a reciprocating supporting carriage, supporting means carried by said carriage to support a last with its upper and welt in a predetermined position on said carriage, gripping members supported on said carwith a fixed gauging point provided by said gripping members at the heel end thereof, means for simultaneously moving said gripping members to engage the upper under the welt and hold it against said gauging point to draw the upper around the last at the sides and toe thereof and grip the last with the upper tightly fitted around it to permit a filler to be placed over the last within the welt, a reciprocating die head located in fixed relation to said gauging point of said clamping members, and means for guiding said carriage in a straight horizontal movement under said die head to permit said die head to force the cemented sole in place on the filler and welt.

6. In a lasting apparatus for stitch-down shoes. the combination of supporting means for the last and upper, combined spreading and anchoring means movable down over the last within the upper and means for moving the combined spreading and anchoring means laterally over the ends of the upper away from the last to temporarily hold the outer edges of the ends of the upper fixed in a horizontal position.

7. In a lasting apparatus for stitch-down shoes, the combination of supporting means for supporting the last and upper, spreading members adapted to move down onto the free edges of the upper and spread these edges into a substantially horizontal position, pins mounted to slide in and out of said spreading members and means for forcing said pins into the free edges of the upper to hold the edges of the upper fixed, and means drawing the upper within its fixed edges around the last and firmly holding the upper drawn around the last.

8. In a combined lasting and sole applying apparatus the combination of supporting means for supporting a last and its upper with their bottom up, jaws having the outline horizontally and vertically of the bottom of the last grouped around said supporting means, means for bringing said jaws in engagement with the upper to grip the upper and last and means movable down over the last within the upper and then outwardly over the ends of the upper away from the last to temporarily hold the outer edges of the ends of the upper fixed in a substantially horizontal position.

9. In a combined lasting and sole applying apparatus the combination of supporting means for supporting a last and its upper with their bottom up, laterally moving clamping jaws adapted to engage the upper along the outline of the bottom of the last, vertically moving spreading and anchoring means movable down over the last within the upper and then outwardly away from the last over the ends of the upper to hold the outer edges of the ends of the upper and means for forcing the last into the upper to stretch the upper around it while the free edges of the upper are held anchored.

10. In 'a combined lasting and sole applying apparatus the combination of supporting means for supporting a last and its upper with their bottoms up, laterally moving clamping jaws adapted to engage the upper along the outline of the bottom of the last, vertically moving spreading and anchoring means movable down over the last within the upper and then outwardly away from the last over the ends of the upper to hold the outer edges of the ends of the upper and means for forcing the last into the upper to stretch the upper around it while the free edges of the upper are held anchored, said laterally moving clamping members being adapted to grip the upper and last after the upper has been stretched around it.

11. In a shoe lasting machine the combination of last supporting means, a series of gripping members surrounding said last supporting means, said gripping members being movable horizontally and forming an expanding and contracting contour of the bottom of the last with two of the opposing gripping members overlapping each other at one end to provide a fixed gauging point for the welt and upper supported on the last at the heel end of the contour of the gripping members, against which gauging point the welt and upper is held while the gripping members draw the upper over the toe and sides of the last on their movement toward the last.

12. In a shoe lasting machine the combination of a series of gripping members adapted to engage the welt and upper supported on a last and draw'the upper over the toe and sides of the last, said gripping members being grouped to form an opening having substantially the outline of the bottom of the last and being movable horizontally so as to increase and decrease said opening between them, gauging means provided at one end of one of said gripping members to hold the last against endwise movement in one direction while the gripping members draw the upper over the toe and sides of the last.

13. A shoe lasting clamp comprising a plurality of gripping members adapted toengage the welt and upper supported on a last and draw the upper over the toe and sides thereof, said gripping members being grouped to form an opening between them having substantially the outline of the bottom of the last, one of said grip ping members having one end thereof extending past the longitudinal center line of the opening formed by said gripping members to provide gauging means against which the welt and upper at one end of the last is held while the upper is drawn over the opposite end of the last and the sides thereof.

JACOB FUNCKv ALFRED W. DUNN. 

